The disclosures herein relate generally to computer systems and more particularly to installing expansion cards in such systems.
Mounting peripheral cards into a chassis is tedious and time consuming. This creates greater production cost due to assembly errors and greater assembly time. The common type of peripheral cards also require screws to be driven into the card once it is positioned inside of the computer chassis. This also adds to assembly errors, time and cost.
Traditionally peripheral cards are aligned and secured using screws. Other solutions have incorporated clips and/or screws that secure single and multiple cards. Latches have been implemented but do not possess alignment or force distribution features. Both of these solutions are inadequate and/or create additional parts and handling cost.
Therefore, what is needed is a screwless retainer for securing expansion cards in a computer chassis.
One embodiment, accordingly, provides a retainer bar that is capable of capturing one or more cards in a single pivotable latching movement. To this end, an expansion card retainer includes an elongated bar. A plurality of flexible tongues extend from the bar. A plurality of recesses are formed in the bar. Each recess is adjacent a respective one of the tongues. A flexible latch also extends from the bar.
A principal advantage of this embodiment is that the card retainer allows for easier access to the expansion cards, thereby permitting faster installation and removal time and easy end user accessibility.